Martt Lawrence, Owner/Senior Certified Instructor

The Pilates Center of San Francisco (PCSF) at the ODC Dance Commons opened in January 2006 under the direction of Martt Lawrence. Originally certified in 1996, Martt has spent over a decade working with dancers, athletes, and students of varying injuries. Her experience working with special conditions such as pregnancy, post partum women, hip replacements, osteoporosis, and scoliosis has made her a sought after specialist in her field.

In 2006 , Martt was recertified by Romana’ Pilates ™ under the tutelage of Dorothee VanDeWalle at Metropolitan Pilates in Seattle. Martt continues to refine her teaching methods through mentoring relationships with Master Instructors and through the inspiration she gains by seeing the progress of her clients.

Prior to opening the Pilates Center of San Francisco, she spent four years as the Pilates Instructors at The San Francisco Ballet. Martt’s work as an instructor is also informed by her own experience as a modern dancer, choreographer, and former professional ballet dancer with the Houston and Cincinnati Ballet companies. Cincinnati Ballet.

Emily Goldenberg, Senior Certified Instructor

Emily was certified to teach Pilates in 2000 by Romana Kryzanowska, famed protégé of Joseph Pilates, and Bob Liekens, now master instructor of Power Pilates. She has studied with Master teachers Dorothee VandeWalle, Kathy Ross Nash, Jay Grimes, and Peter Fiasca. She works within the classical Pilates system of exercises, but incorporates the universal principals of body alignment that are used in other therapeutic exercise methods. Her clients range from beginners to super-advanced. Emily is revered at PCSF for having a firm command of the Pilates Method while she sustains her calm demeanor.

Emily has extensive experience with injury rehabilitation from knee, hip, back, and breast reconstruction issues. She has also guided many clients through pregnancy and post-partum Pilates. Her goal as a teacher is to help her clients to achieve the optimal blueprint for a healthy and strong body, mind, and spirit.

Helena Birecki

Helena Birecki has taught Pilates in the Bay Area at both hospitals and studios since 2000, and at the Pilates Center of San Francisco since 2006. Originally certified by Stott Pilates, she also carries a Pilates Method Alliance Gold Certification. Since joining the Pilates Center, she has increased her command of the classical work through training from such masters as Kathy Ross-Nash, Peter Fiasca, and Dorothee VandeWalle as well as private study with Martt Lawrence. She also has been very fortunate to learn from first generation teachers Kathy Grant and Ron Fletcher, and kinesiology experts Jean-Claude West and Marie-Jose Blom Lawrence.

Employing a keen understanding of the body and an intuitive, imagery-based approach to teaching, Helena has been able to offer the benefits of Pilates to a remarkably broad range of students. Her biggest thrill as a teacher is helping a student do what they love-- whether it's developing a program for a dancer who has recently had a C-section, enabling a cyclist with lumbar spine stenosis to ride a hundred miles without pain, or helping an eighty year-old regain the balance and strength to walk through a shopping mall with confidence. Additionally, Helena teaches modern dance and performs frequently, notably with kelly kemp & company and DanceVisions.

Robin Lim Healy

Robin’s personal mission, both as a Pilates instructor and a physical therapist assistant, is to share the exciting moments of strength and discovery with everyone she touches. Her own personal, physical and spiritual development was so deeply affected by her practice of Pilates that she was inspired to become a teacher.

After experiencing painful symptoms of a physical illness and a sedentary lifestyle, she sought exercise that was flexible with the day to day needs of her body. She found a wonderful and inspiring classically trained Pilates instructor who started instilling a love not just for this method of exercise, but for the principles involved in a dedicated Pilates practice.

As she began to grow and develop in her own practice and understanding of the method and its effects on each individual, Robin chose to transition from a career in marketing to become a Pilates instructor and a physical therapist assistant. By combining her certification in Pilates and her licensure in physical therapy, she has been able to empower people of various fitness levels and physical abilities.

Jessica Stephenson

Jessica comes to The Pilates Center of San Francisco from Baltimore, MD where she taught dance and Pilates at Goucher College, The Peabody Preparatory of Johns Hopkins University, and the Maryland School of Ballet and Modern Dance. She was certified in 2004 after a rigorous apprenticeship of 600+ hours under master Pilates instructors Romana Kryzanowska and Sari Mejia-Santo where she learned to work with all different body types and abilities. Jessica holds a B.A. in psychology and has danced professionally with the New York Dance Theater, Ram Island Dance, VanDance Inc, ClancyWorks Dance Company as well as in many other freelance projects. She enjoys live music, the ocean, laughter, and is delighted to meet the lovely and diverse people of San Francisco